February 7, 2019

WASHINGTON SETTLES INTO SECOND SEASON P6 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

LATE WEEK

THE U’S POINT GUARD HAS STARTED TO FIND HIS RHYTHM

MNDAILY.COM

HOUSING

ADMINISTRATION

Dinkytown tenants forced to vacate

U’s plan to cut costs on track in final year

Forty-six tenants living on 4th Street Southeast must vacate their homes by Feb. 28.

BY MIGUEL OCTAVIO moctavio@mndaily.com

An upcoming development in Dinkytown has left some tenants scrambling after it notified residents they have to move out by the end of the month.

The City of Minneapolis approved a six-story, 114-unit apartment complex on

the 1200 block of 4th Street Southeast by Chicago-based developer CA Ventures in early January. Forty-six tenants living on the property, 37 of whom are students, received a notice late last month stating they need to vacate the property by the end of February. Construction is slated to start this spring.

Fourth-year student John Schoolmeesters had a monthly lease with one of the affected properties. Schoolmeesters said he’ll be forced to move back into his parents’ house in southern Minnesota if he doesn’t find new housing soon.

“I really couldn’t believe it. It all seems kind of ridiculous that it’s happening so quick,” Schoolmeesters said. “I mean, one month to find somewhere to live is almost impossible here [in] the city.”

Schoolmeesters said moving out midwinter makes things even more difficult.

He will receive an inconvenience payment and a return of his security deposit with no rent charge for February, according to the notice.

The email notice also recommended u See VACATE Page 3

TUITION

Students’ concerns grow amid tuition hikes

Eric Kaler’s commitment to cut $90 million could have been larger, lawmakers say.

BY ISABELLA MURRAY imurray@mndaily.com

The University of Minnesota has more than $11 million of administrative costs to cut by the end of the year to accomplish one of President Eric Kaler’s major priorities.

Kaler’s plan to reduce administrative costs by $90 million over six years, was announced in 2013 following reports that the University was one of the leading culprits of overhead spending in the nation. Although the program is expected to exceed its goal, some say the cuts don’t go far enough.

These spending cuts come in the form of reallocations of administrative funds to other areas within the University’s budget.

“We’re halfway through the year, and they still have some work to do to deliver that,” said Board of Regents Chair David McMillan.

Julie Tonneson, associate vice president of University Finance, said she anticipates the school will exceed its goal by around $1 million.

But University Regent Michael Hsu said the dollar amount doesn’t reduce administrative spending enough.

“It’s almost embarrassing that we’re u See CUTS Page 4

CAMPUS

U group advocates for lactation support in campus buildings Committee says it’s time for the University to provide lactation support for mothers on campus.

ILLUSTRATION BY MORGAN LA CASSE, DAILY

The U plans to increase tuition to remain competitive with the other Big Ten schools.

Sunny Raju, a high school senior from Pennsylvania, “fell in love” with the University of Minnesota during a tour of campus. He was planning to enroll at the University in 2019 and someday in medical school — until recent tuition increases made him reconsider.

“When I heard about the tuition increase proposed for out-of-state students, I was absolutely gutted,” Raju wrote in a message to the Minnesota Daily.

In December, the University’s Board of Regents approved a 10 percent tuition increase in 2019-2020 for incoming, outof-state freshmen on the Twin Cities campus. Tuition for non-resident, nonreciprocity (NRNR) students has been increasing since 2015, and is planned to reach approximately $35,000 by 2020.

Currently enrolled NRNR students will see a 5.5 percent increase next year.

Increasing tuition worries NRNR students, and student government leaders have rallied against tuition hikes.

The increase will impact more than 6,000 current undergraduate students, and will add $2,880 in tuition for each incoming NRNR student.

Raju, who works more than 25 hours

PERCENT INCREASE

BY AUDREY KENNEDY akennedy@mndaily.com

PERCENT TUITION INCREASE PER YEAR 15 15

RESIDENT

12 12

NON-RESIDENT *Non-resident tuition percent increase not available 2011-2012 due to changes in the way tuition was measured.

9 6 3 0

2012 2014 2016 2010 2018 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 YEAR SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

each week while taking seven higher level AP classes, hopes to earn $13,000 before committing to a college. He recently received scholarships, but doesn’t know if they will be enough.

“As of now, I have made a little shy of $8,000 to help pay for college … [but] the variable of constantly rising tuition costs as an out-of-state student is daunting,” he said.

Raising tuition to meet in the middle Until the most recent tuition increase, the University was ranked 12th out of the 14 Big Ten schools for NRNR tuition. In 2008, it lowered NRNR tuition by $7,630 to attract more out-of-state students, but began significantly increasing tuition in 2015.

According to Bob McMaster, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, the University is increasing tuition to move the school closer to the middle of the Big Ten’s tuition rates.

“There’s no reason why we should be at the bottom of the Big Ten in terms of a non-resident rate, considering the quality of this University,” McMaster said.

Available funds in the form of waivers and scholarships for non-resident students will continue to rise, McMaster said, although most financial aid is directed to Minnesota residents.

“A decision was made to try to build u See TUITION Page 3

BY JAKE STEINBERG jsteinberg@mndaily.com

Take a right off University onto Pleasant Street, and you enter a part of campus moms call a “lactation desert.”

There was no plan to accommodate nursing mothers when those buildings were constructed. There still isn’t.

After facilitating lactation services for nearly a decade, the volunteer-run Lactation Advocacy Committee is shepherding a resolution urging University of Minnesota administration to create a comprehensive lactation support policy.

The University has no centralized means of tracking complaints or overseeing lactation spaces throughout campus.

Lactation advocates say this causes widely inconsistent experiences for student and employee parents.

“An institution as big as this one [doesn’t] have a breastfeeding support policy or anything written down about what a breastfeeding mom can expect to receive in terms of support and accommodations,” said LAC member Mikaela Robertson.

The LAC receives no University funding. Despite that, the ad-hoc committee has supported new mothers who need spaces to breastfeed or breast pump on campus since 2009.

The group keeps a database of available lactation spaces, studies the state of lactation support, and advocates for the expansion and maintenance of spaces already on campus. Its 45-50 volunteers are devoted, u See LACTATION Page 3

LIFESTYLE

A&E explores: Bikers take on snowy Minnesota winter with fat tire rides We’ve all seen them, but who actually rides these beasts of bikes on the U’s campus?

BY SAMIR FERDOWSI sferdowsi@mndaily.com

You’re walking across the Washington Avenue Pedestrian Bridge and minding your own business, when out of nowhere a giant vehicle comes towards you. Is it a truck? A tank? Oh wait … it’s a bike?!

Fat tire biking, or “fat bikes,” have surged in popularity over the past decade in Minneapolis. With snow-covered tundra being our primary terrain, it makes sense why these behemoths take over bike paths come first snow.

Yet it’s one thing to have the means; it’s another to harness the grit.

“The rush you get is next level. You literally can’t get the feeling of riding like this any way else,” said Bennett Figueroa, a graphic design senior at the University of Minnesota. “Cruising in and out of snow and people … hell yeah.”

Figueroa has been riding mountain bikes since the age of 10. While in school, he’s kept the passion alive by riding to and from class every single day. This is often a 10-mile journey for him from the Como neighborhood to classes on St. Paul’s campus.

Decked out in a professional grade ski helmet and goggles, Figueroa encourages every Minnesotan and student to try the sport — just be smart about it. Harnessing proper gear and partaking in routine bike checks and oiling (especially in the winter) will make sure every ride goes according to plan.

“It really isn’t any different than riding any other bike,” Figueroa said. “Just a lot more fun and a lot more badass.”

Tire width on these puppies is usually 4 inches or wider, and the tire size can get past 29 inches. For perspective, a typical bike has a width of .66 inches and a size of 24 to 26 inches. These things can charge.

“We’ve seen more fat tires available in the store recently,” said Madilynn Garcia, an employee at The Hub Bike Co-Op on West Bank.

“They’re pretty fun.” u See BIKES Page 5

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Bennett Figueroa pops a wheelie on his bike as he rides down the Dinkytown Greenway on Friday, Feb.1

VOLUME 119 ISSUE 36

2

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

MN DAILY

EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST THURSDAY FRIDAY 22° 1° -8° -16° Snow

Daily Review

MNDAILY.COM

Partly cloudy

SATURDAY 9° 0° Cloudy

SUNDAY 17° 2° Cloudy

MONDAY 21° 15°

Thursday, February 7, 2019 Vol. 119 No. 36

An Independent Student Newspaper, Founded in 1900.

2221 University Ave. SE, Suite 450, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Partly cloudy

Phone: (612) 627-4080 Fax: (612) 435-5865

THIS DAY IN HISTORY 1964 The Beatles arrive at New York’s Kennedy Airport on Feb. 7. It was the Beatles’ first visit to the United States after their first No. 1 U.S. hit, “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

HISTORYCHANNEL.COM/TDIH

Copyright © 2019 The Minnesota Daily. This newspaper, its design and its contents are copyrighted.

OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com (612) 435-1575 Genevieve Locke Business Operations Officer glocke@mndaily.com (612) 435-2761

MEN’S HOCKEY

EDITORIAL STAFF Max Chao Managing Editor mchao@mndaily.com Christine Ha Managing Production Editor cha@mndaily.com Michelle Griffith Campus Activities Editor mgriffith@mndaily.com Madeline Deninger City Editor mdeninger@mndaily.com J.D. Duggan Campus Administration Editor jduggan@mndaily.com Drew Cove Sports Editor dcove@mndaily.com Sophie Vilensky A&E Editor svilensky@mndaily.com Ellen Schmidt Multimedia Editor eschmidt@mndaily.com Molly Tynjala Copy Desk Chief mtynjala@mndaily.com Desmond Kamas Chief Page Designer dkamas@mndaily.com Abby Adamski Visuals Editor aadamski@mndaily.com Morgan La Casse Visuals Editor mlacasse@mndaily.com =

=

=

=

=

=

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Senior Jack Sadek skates down the ice at Mariucci Arena on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018.

Exploring MN sustainable energy Researchers found variability in utility companies’ access to sustainable energy.

BY NATALIE RADEMACHER nrademacher@mndaily.com

Paul Twite, utilities general manager for the city of Delano, Minnesota, tries to balance keeping energy costs low for customers and making good environmental choices.

“It is getting easier to balance that because renewable energy is getting cheaper every day,” Twite said.

Researchers in the Humphrey School of Public Affairs released a report this week that highlights how electricity providers around Minnesota are adjusting as sustainable energy resources become more accessible.

The study, funded by the McKnight Foundation, found that access to distributed energy resources is dependent on where people live and who controls their electricity in Minnesota. The distributed energy resources include solar panels and electric vehicles.

Currently, around 35 percent of Delano’s electricity comes from renewable

sites like wind and solar plants, Twite said. He said he expects that number to increase in the coming years.

Through interviews with municipality and rural electric cooperative managers, researchers in the Humphrey School’s Chan Lab found that other municipalities and co-ops may not have the same access to these resources.

With the two-year research project completed, researchers are hosting a meeting with utility managers from around the state next month to talk about the findings and discuss their next steps.

Gabe Chan, principal investigator of the Chan Lab, said he hopes to find another platform to work with these companies now that the research has concluded. He also wants to encourage collaboration between the municipalities and co-ops around Minnesota.

Electricity in the Twin Cities area is covered by Xcel Energy, which is for-profit. However, nonprofit municipalities and coops cover much of the rest of the state. These utility companies have little regulation at the state level and are locally governed, Chan

said. Because of this, they may have trouble collaborating with each other and adjusting as more sustainable energy resources become available, he said.

“During interviews, managers would ask us if we think they are doing okay.

They were looking for some guidance that what they are doing and thinking about is right,” said Matt Grimley, a graduate research assistant in the Chan Lab. According to Lindsey Forsberg, another graduate research assistant in the Chan Lab, individual people pushing for sustainable energy resources have helped some local communities adopt different energy systems.

“People in Grand Marais pushed the city to put local policy in place to help make the utility act more aggressively on [adopting] renewable energy,” Forsberg said.

Although some municipalities and co-ops have adopted alternative energy resources, Forsberg and Grimley found that not all are able to make the transition.

One reason for this is that some electric municipalities and co-ops are locked into contracts that require them to purchase electricity from certain sources, Forsberg said.

BUSINESS Kyle Stumpf Sales Manager kstumpf@mndaily.com David Keane Controller dkeane@mndaily.com =

The Minnesota Daily strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. Corrections and clarifications will always be printed in this space. If you believe the Daily has printed a factual error, please call the readers’ representative at (612) 627–4070, extension 3057, or email errors@mndaily.com immediately.

ABBY ADAMSKI, DAILY

With these contracts, it is harder to purchase different energy resources.

The research found that another challenge is keeping electric utilities fair, as some people opt to use at-home solar sources.

In Minnesota, utilities companies offer a rewards program to customers who use solar energy. Excess energy customers acquired through their solar panels can be bought back by their utility company.

Grimley said while these programs incentivize people to have solar energy systems, they have the potential to someday harm municipalities

and co-ops. Because municipalities and co-ops a r e n o n p ro f i t s , u t i l i t y customers have to offset the costs associated with paying back solar energy users through their electricity rates.

“Utility companies need to maintain revenue to offset costs,” Grimley said. “If they are having to pay back the people using solar energy, that money is coming from other users.”

Twite said he thinks there is a way to make solar energy more equitable and fair.

“There is a solution to this, we just haven’t figured it out yet,” he said.

Cedar-Riverside welcomes Somali-American officers MPD officers Jama and Galayr begin their neighborhood patrols this month.

BY MOHAMED IBRAHIM mibrahim@mndaily.com

At the request of the community, Cedar-Riverside is welcoming new faces to the neighborhood.

After a year-long process, the Minneapolis Police Department assigned two Somali-American officers, Daadir Galayr and Mohamud Jama, to patrol the predominantly East African neighborhood. Community leaders and MPD hope the officers will help bridge the cultural divide between police and residents.

“They know the language of the street, and they

will be able to interact with business owners and residents in an easier way since they’re bilingual,” Ward 6 City Council member Abdi Warsame said. “I think there’s a level of understanding of the culture and the norms that comes with being members of the community.”

Galayr and Jama will begin their patrols in the neighborhood later this month. The officers will be introduced to the community at an event on Feb. 20 alongside Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and MPD Chief Medaria Arradondo.

Two other Somali-American officers, Abdiwahab Ali and Mohammed Abdullahi, previously worked in the area for a number of years, but both left after being promoted. When the constituents of his ward asked that Somali-

American officers replace Ali and Abdullahi, Warsame began working with MPD to follow through on that request.

“A lot of times, they were not just police officers but they were educating community members, especially elders and parents, about how the system works,” said Abdirahman Mukhtar, founder of the local outreach effort Daryeel Youth and Cedar-Riverside resident of almost 15 years.

Mukhtar said Ali and Abdullahi’s presence in the community went beyond security of the neighborhood.

Interacting with residents and participating in activities like coaching youth soccer helped the officers form trust with the community, he said.

“Being Somali, speaking Somali language and knowing the culture was just extra,”

EDITORIAL BOARD Ellen Schneider Editorials & Opinions Editor eschneider@mndaily.com Ariana Wilson Editorial Board Member awilson@mndaily.com Hailey Almstead Editorial Board Member halmstead@mndaily.com Kelly Busche Editor-in-Chief kbusche@mndaily.com

Mukhtar said. “They were doing their police job as good as any other police officer.”

Violent crime has been on the decline citywide, decreasing by more 17 percent last year according to MPD statistics. But Warsame said the neighborhood faces a number of issues outside of public safety, like poverty, unemployment and lack of youth resources.

“There’s many issues but I think one of the answers was, ‘Why don’t we have the same police officers that we had before?’” Warsame said.

“These police officers got promoted and these young officers have come through and filled the gap, and we’re hopeful that this will have a transformative effect on the neighborhood.”

C e d a r - R i v e r s i d e Opportunity Center manager

“A lot of times, they were not just police officers but they were educating community members ... about how the system works.”

ABDIRAHMAN MUKHTAR Daryeel Youth founder

Saeed Bihi said working to decrease the unemployment rate in the area and provide educational opportunities for residents is easier when there’s a sense of safety and security in the community.

“You can prosper and [achieve] economic development when everyone feels safe,” Bihi said.

A previous version of the article “Gophers’ softball set to start journey back to the top of Big Ten” misstated the number of freshmen on the team for the 2019 season and misspelled the name of one of the players.

THE MINNESOTA DAILY is a legally independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and is a student-written and student-managed newspaper for the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus.

The Daily’s mission is: 1) to provide coverage of news and events affecting the University community; 2) to provide a forum for the communication and exchange of ideas for the University community; 3) to provide educational training and experience to University students in all areas of newspaper operations; and 4) to operate a fiscally responsible organization to ensure its ability to serve the University in the future.

The Daily is a member of the Minnesota News Council, the Minnesota Associated Press, the Associated Collegiate Press, The Minnesota Newspaper Association and other organizations.

The Daily is published Monday and Thursday during the regular school year and weekly during the summer, and it is printed by ECM Publishers in Princeton, Minn.

Midwest News Service distributes the 10,000 issues biweekly.

All Minnesota Daily inserts are recyclable within the University of Minnesota program and are at least 6 percent consumer waste.

U.S. Postal Service: 351–480.

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Tuition u from Page 1

non-resident pipelines. We traditionally had a very low number of non-resident students, and we really wanted to become more of a national university, with much more geographic diversity,” McMaster said.

Sam Adler, a sophomore from Irvine, California, said the University is overestimating how many prospective students would consider Minnesota without cheaper NRNR tuition.

“For a lot of majors, there’s comparable programs at other universities that now cost the same amount,” Adler said.

“There’s this sense of disbelief at how the University is overvaluing the education [and the willingness] to move to Minnesota.”

The jump in tuition for incoming NRNR students will generate an extra $1.5 million for the University’s budget. The rest of the revenue — $6.3 million — falls on students who are currently enrolled, according to estimates during a December regents meeting.

As a sophomore, firstgeneration college student Sharukesh Seker has already seen two increases in tuition since he enrolled at the University to

Cuts u from Page 1

talking about $90 million over six years, which is only $15 million a year, and if you do the math on that it’s chump change for the University,” Hsu said. “If you look at that, $15 million a year is trivial. And I think we need to look deeper.”

More than $8 million of the remaining cuts will be reallocated using state appropriations and tuition, while around $3 million will come from outside funds like sales, fees, gifts and endowments.

Reallocations in University’s budget

Cuts are made “in every single unit of the University,” Tonneson said. These units include individual colleges, out-state campuses and other services.

A unit that has seen one of the biggest administrative reallocations over the six years is Auxiliary Services on the Twin Cities campus, which manages University housing, food services, parking and bookstores.

The Office of Information Technology, the University’s

study economics.

While Seker said he could take out student loans to keep up with the rising tuition, he said paying loans back while living in his home country of Sri Lanka would take decades.

“By then I’d want to start a family, travel … I’d start resenting the fact that I went to college in the first place,” he said. “If there is another increase, there’s a good chance I’ll have to just transfer to another college.”

NRNR students already enrolled will see a 5.5 percent increase next year, which is the recommended limit on increases for returning students.

“I don’t see any reason why we should be at the bottom [on non-resident tuition rates]. I think in terms of quality of the institution, we could be at the top — we’re as good as any of the others. But, I think to maintain that geographical diversity, it’s really essential that we keep our non-resident tuition towards the middle of the pack,” McMaster said.

More than 70 percent of students who are currently enrolled at the Twin-Cities campus receive some form of financial aid. For those students who graduate with debt, they typically owe around $33,807, according to data from the Office of Institutional Research.

Medical School, University of Minnesota-Duluth and Facilities Management on the Twin Cities campus have also seen large reallocations.

Tonneson said these units had some of the largest budgets to begin with.

All units get a target from the budget office to reduce their administrative costs.

They vary from year to year, usually from $11-20 million.

“This is a very iterative process,” Tonneson said.

Most often, administrative costs are shaved when a position change occurs, appointment times decrease or someone is hired to fill a gap at a lesser salary, Tonneson said.

“If we have someone retire, for example, we might choose not to replace that position. So, I have saved that salary and fringe money [we] can spend on the other cost increases,” Tonneson said.

The University’s budget goes up every year, meaning administrative funds are reallocated to accommodate growing expenses for other needs, she said.

“We are not, in total, spending less across the University from year to year across the system,” Tonneson said. “But,

We need to be able to charge [outof-state students] some multiple — at least two times the amount.”

MICHAEL HSU University regent

The December docket says additional investments will be made to recruit outof-state students and retain current NRNR students.

However, recent enrollment numbers show a 26 percent drop in NRNR students. Regent Darrin Rosha said in the December board meeting that enrollment doesn’t reflect how many students are applying to the University.

“Because their parents and grandparents pay taxes, resident students deserve to pay the least amount. … We need to be able to charge [out-of-state students] some multiple — at least two times the amount,” Regent Michael Hsu said in an interview with the Minnesota Daily.

The University could either increase tuition for resident students or NRNR

u from Page 1

potential apartments in the area to residents, along with a brochure of The Link, another CA Ventures-owned development in Prospect Park.

Developers notified students as soon as legally possible and fully compensated residents for the inconvenience through buyouts of their longer-term leases and payments for moving costs, said CA Ventures spokesperson Mimi Simon in an emailed statement.

“CA has worked diligently to research and offer a fair payment package that suitably compensates students for new housing options on or near campus,” the statement reads.

Simon also said staff has been present to answer questions or concerns from parents and students.

ForJael Kerandi, one of two Twin Cities student representatives on the Board of Regents who has campaigned to stop tuition increases, the conversation shouldn’t exclude the student voice.

“I can sit here and give you numbers … but if you don’t listen to an actual person who’s going through it, I don’t think it’s that impactful,” Kerandi said.

Kerandi and Austin Kraft, the other student representative on the board, began the “Keep It Low” campaign in early December. They asked NRNR students to submit letters on how the potential increase would impact them and their families.

After receiving more than 630 letters, the two students compiled what they considered to be the most compelling stories in a document submitted to the regents.

More increases planned for next year

Tuition increases are planned for the 2020-2021 school year, but the specific percentage increase won’t be decided until later this year.

“If we just surround ourselves with the same people, we get into ‘group think.’ We’re not aiming at just any student who can come here and pay the sticker price … it’s about what type of students we want at our university,” Kerandi said.

By increasing tuition, the University lowers their accessibility and opportunities to think critically, Kerandi said.

“Prices don’t change perceptions, people do,”

Kerandi said to the regents at the meeting.

Kerandi said the regents weren’t fully decided before the meeting, and that there were more votes against the increase than she expected.

“It’ll be informative to see what the application numbers look like for the next cycle … seeing the impact that this does have and holding these regents accountable to see if this happens again,” Kraft said.

Seker, who hopes to graduate early to save money, said the University is losing its balance between academics and affordable prices.

“When you throw that off, you lose that diverse background you can’t really find in places like Wisconsin and Michigan.

It’s going to affect diversity as a whole,” he said.

“If there is another increase, there’s a good chance I’ll have to just transfer to another college.

SHARUKESH SEKER Non-resident sophomore

Looking ahead

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Associate Vice President for Budget and Finance Julie Tonneson gives a summary of finances at all of the University campuses on Monday, May 21, 2018 at McNamara Alumni Center.

the reallocations present us an opportunity to pay for those cost increases without having to raise tuition as much, without having to go to the state for additional fund to cover that and so on.”

Lawmakers respond to cuts

The University has an $87 million biennial budget ask for fiscal year 2020-21.

Some of this allocation would

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

But Schoolmeesters said he has struggled to find other buildings with an affordable price point.

Thomas Magnon, 72, who said he has lived in Dinkytown since 2014, will also be displaced. He said he chose the area because of its nearby transportation, restaurants and shopping.

Student-oriented apartments replacing homes in the area make staying in Dinkytown difficult, Magnon said.

“The money isn’t the problem. You’ve got to find a place to live,” Magnon said. “I think most places around here want students.

They’re not looking for senior citizens.”

Terene White, 67, lives in an apartment on 4th Street Southeast with her partner, who works as a caretaker for the property. She and her partner, who both have disabilities, are concerned about the

Student leaders rally against hikes

Kerandi and Kraft submitted the document within the time period for discussion at the meeting, but said they did not get any confirmation that the regents read the binder.

Still, for several regents, raising tuition is an uncomfortable conversation.

“I’m nervous about the 5.5 [increase for current students] too, I think it’s really hard for people who came here with a certain expectation [of cost]. It makes me queasy,” Regent Peggy Lucas said during the meeting.

University may still have wasted administrative spending, he is more concerned about the school’s total state appropriation being big enough.

“Don’t get me wrong, there very well could have been clear waste,” Isaacson said.

“But I am not as concerned about administrative waste, especially with the amount of effort that’s gone into getting better.”

Thomas Magnon poses for a portrait on his front porch near Dinkytown on Monday, Feb. 4.

Vacate

students, or ask for more money from the legislature for financial support, Regent Steve Sviggum said at the meeting.

“We could become more efficient and reduce our spending in the $4 billion budget. We haven’t been very good about doing that, if that is a choice,” he said.

3

“The money isn’t the problem.

You’ve got to find a place to live. I think most places around here want students. They’re not looking for senior citizens.”

THOMAS MAGNON 4th Street Southeast resident

moving process. White said the influx of new apartments hinders affordable housing.

“When I checked on the rent of these new buildings that they have out, [I thought] we couldn’t afford it for sure,” White said.

“And what does a student do? How do they pay for it?”

go toward administrative cost, which Hsu said could affect how the University fares in the state’s budget. “[The operational excellence commitment] was one of those things where it looks good on paper but does it really affect anything? And I think the Legislature is catching up to it,” Hsu said.

Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, a member of the House Higher Education

Finance and Policy Division, said the University’s decision to reallocate funds instead of cutting funds entirely has worried some of his colleagues. “[Reallocation has] been what’s concerning, for some they’d be very suspicious,” Nornes said. “When the U comes with a request, I assume it’s what they need.”

Sen. Jason Isaacson, DFLShoreview, said while the

While the operational excellence program will conclude this year, the University still plans on allocating money within the budget. Tonneson said units have already been given targets for fiscal year 2020.

“Now we’re at the end of [the program], I think we really need to look harder at how effective it was, and how much more can be done,” Hsu said. “To your average person, if you didn’t know how big the University budget was, you’d be happy the University is saving anything. Whereas it’s not really even a savings at all, we’re just moving that money somewhere else.

Theoretically, outside of the administration.”

4

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Former University employee charged with theft

Lactation u from Page 1

said LAC co-chair Sara Benning; however, the committee is no replacement for institutional oversight.

Lactation spaces have no official criteria for what they should offer. The Minnesota Department of Health recommends a private room with a sink and a refrigerator.

“Not a bathroom. Not a gross closet. A place where you would eat a sandwich,” said LAC co-chair Sarah Keene. “Breast milk is food, and it needs to be expressed in a sanitary environment.”

Around forty-two percent of the spaces on campus meet the MDH criteria, according to a 2018 LAC report.

The MDH also recommends lactation rooms be within a five-minute walk of places of work or study, but spaces can be scarce.

“Almost every Monday and Wednesday, I’m late to a class because I need to go pump and the closest pumping area is four buildings down,” said student mother Amanda Sullins.

Sullins has been a parent for nearly a year, but still pumps twice a day. She has a 15-minute interval between classes, which is a problem when it takes at least as long to pump. Unlike the “dusty” and “forgotten” one she said she previously used in Anderson Hall, she uses a newer, more comfortable and sanitary space in Moos Tower.

Sullins said pumping can be inconvenient, but that it’s better than the alternative.

“You get super uncomfortable. It literally feels like you’ve got softballs on your chest, and it hurts,” she said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends mothers breastfeed for a

The employee allegedly bought 78 computers with University funds.

EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

Meg Thompson puts together a breast pump in a lactation room on Friday, Feb. 1 in Alderman Hall in St. Paul.

year or longer after a baby is born. However, limited lactation resources can make that challenging. Half of respondents to a 2012 Student Parent HELP Center survey who had given birth in the three years leading up to the survey stopped breastfeeding because they didn’t have space to do so.

Minnesota and federal laws guarantee unpaid break time to mothers to breastfeed or breast pump, and the University recognizes lactation as a legitimate absence under Title IX. But compared to its peer institutions, LAC members say the University is falling behind in supporting new mothers. Four other Big 10 schools have lactation support policies on the books, and two others have them in the works.

The LAC passed a similar resolution in the University Senate in 2013, calling for the University to address shortcomings in its lactation resources. Administration pledged to support lactation services, but advocates said it was mostly lip service.

“I did not see that have much of an impact at the time. We didn’t notice any difference in administrative buy-in for any actions that we took afterwards,” said Susan Warfield, LAC chair at the time.

This time around, the LAC is garnering a wider range of support. The resolution has been endorsed by several student, faculty, and staff governance groups.

Benning said the group’s request is more specific this time around: a policy that ensures lactation spaces up to

In final semester, Kaler maintains a full agenda

ELLE MOULIN, DAILY

NUMBER OF FEMALE STUDENTS & EMPLOYEES PER LACTATION SPACE UNIVERSITY OFNebraska NEBRASKA University of UNIVERSITY MICHIGAN University ofOFMichigan MICHIGANState STATE Michigan PURDUE Purdue UNIVERSITYof OFIowa IOWA University UNIVERSITY OFWisconsin WISCONSIN University of NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Northwestern University STATE University of OHIO Michigan UNIVERSITYof OFMinnesota MINNESOTA University INDIANA University UNIVERSITY Indiana PENNState STATE Penn UNIVERSITY OF Maryland MARYLAND University of UNIVERSITY University OF of ILLINOIS Illinois RUTGERS Rutgers 00

2000 2000

4000 4000

6000 8000 10000 10000 8000 6000

SOURCE: LACTATION ADVOCACY COMMITTEE

MDH standards, guarantees all mothers break time and charges an official person or department with overseeing lactation resources.

“Ten years of the LAC and it’s time for administration to help do the work that we’ve been doing,” Benning said.

A former University of Minnesota employee was charged with allegedly buying dozens of computers with University funds and then reselling them, according to a report from Fox 9.

A University of Minnesota Police Department investigation revealed that Michael McDaniel bought 78 computers with funds f ro m t h e U n i v e r s i t y ’ s Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, but did not register the computers with the department. He later sold several of the computers on Craigslist and at pawn shops. The computers were worth over $130,000, according to the report.

McDaniel worked in several University departm e n t s f ro m N o v e m b e r 2007 until the University terminated his contract in November. A letter addressed to McDaniel cites his “theft of significant University property” as the reason for his termination. Most recently McDaniel served as an administrative consultant for CMRR, University documents show.

MSA advocates for composting in all UMN academic buildings

Eric Kaler hopes he can accomplish several initiatives before he leaves.

BY AUSTEN MACALUS amacalus@mndaily.com

President Eric Kaler is taking on a full agenda to round out his time at the helm of the University of Minnesota.

From making a decision about Coffman Union to overseeing the University’s multi-million dollar legislative request, Kaler expects to accomplish a number of big-ticket items before President-Designate Joan Gabel takes over in July.

“We’re very focused on making certain that the end of President Kaler’s tenure is very productive,” Chief of Staff Jon Steadland said. “There’s a lot of work yet to do.”

As he approaches the end of his eight-year tenure, Kaler’s final semester on campus will be anything but a lame duck session.

“My goal is to capitalize on this transition year.

That means doing some things that are hard,” Kaler told the Board of Regents in September.

Thus far, Kaler has checked the box on several priorities, including negotiating a new M Health Fairview partnership and revamping the University’s health sciences operations. The final chunk of Kaler’s six-year plan to cut a total of $90 million in administrative costs will go into place this fiscal year.

Board of Regents Chair David McMillan praised Kaler’s track-record, saying the president has done a good job keeping tuition relatively low, while ensuring the University remains an excellent school.

“I think President Kaler’s got a lot to be proud of,” McMillan said. “As I look back with President Kaler on what’s accomplished, that tuition track record is good [and] our rankings across most of our professional and undergraduate and graduate schools are solid.”

However, several major priorities remain on Kaler’s

DAILY FILE PHOTO

University President Eric Kaler answers questions from the Minnesota Daily on Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 in his office at Morrill Hall.

plate, including whether to rename controversial buildings on campus.

Steadland said the president wants to “make certain we have some resolution on the historical namings issue” before leaving.

But the renaming process has taken longer than expected — recommendations for Coffman and three other buildings underwent a series of delays in recent months.

Kaler’s other priorities include setting a direction for expanded child care options near campus and “institutionalizing” the University’s work to prevent sexual misconduct, Steadland said.

“You can’t do everything during this time frame, but the priorities we have are things that I know President Kaler wants to get accomplished,” Steadland said.

There’s also the University’s biennial budget request, with Kaler once again leading lobbying efforts at the state Capitol.

In his final legislative session, Kaler is asking lawmakers for $87 million for the next two fiscal years and $232 million in capital bonding.

Rep. Bud Nornes, RFergus Falls, the leading Republican and former chair of the House higher education committee, said he has had a good working relationship with Kaler.

But Nornes said Kaler’s final request is “very aggressive,” and there may not be enough state funding to go around. The University’s state funding requests have come up

short in recent years.

“You have to trust the people you’re dealing with, in this case President Kaler, and I would say that I do. You also do need to verify some things,” Nornes said. “I think, overall, that’s been the relationship I’ve had with him.”

However, Kaler leaving has also put some of the University’s large-scale efforts on hold.

The University’s system-wide strategic plan — a multi-year process expected to be completed last fall — was pushed back because of Kaler’s departure.

Instead, it will be left to Gabel when she comes into the role.

“We’re at a pause-point in our system-wide strategic planning efforts, which is appropriate given that we’re changing leaders,” said McMillan. “Ideally, it would have been nice if that was all done, but there’s only so many big balls you can push uphill.”

The biggest obstacle in Kaler’s last months, Steadland said, is the limited time.

“As this plays out, I’m sure we will have more and more moments … where you have to say, ‘OK, are we going to deal with this issue right now or are we going to leave it for President-Designate Gabel?’”

Steadland said.

But Steadland said the president expects to resolve many of his agenda items.

“We are really focused on finishing strong and making sure we come to a conclusion in these final months,” he said.

DAILY FILE PHOTO

University of Minnesota students sifted trash from the Coffman Marketplace food court that wasn’t tossed into the correct bin on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 outside Williamson Hall.

MSA is working with groups to offer composting across campus.

BY NIAMH COOMEY ncoomey@mndaily.com

A semester after composting was established in University of Minnesota dorms, multiple groups on campus are working to expand compost bins to every heavilytrafficked building on the Twin Cities campus.

The Minnesota Student Association, the University’s Recycling Program and the Office of Sustainability are collaborating to ensure every University building that produces a substantial amount of waste has access to compost bins.

Faculty at the University’s Como Recycling Facility are continuing the work of Dana Donatucci, who retired last year. He jump-started the University’s efforts to become zero-waste and sustainable.

Composting was expanded to University dorms last semester, but the goal now is expansion to all buildings on the Twin Cities campus where composting is applicable, said Como Recycling Facility’s organics rollout coordinator Allison Sawyer.

The process has included phasing out disposable food service ware at campus dining locations and at many events, including Greek life events, on campus. Now,

the main goal is to expand central composting bins to the University’s academic buildings. These centralized bins, which are sorted into different types of waste, put more responsibility on people who are throwing something away, which increases recycling waste because composting is more accessible, said Todd Tanner, the reuse program coordinator with Facilities Management.

Tanner said studies have shown that providing a choice to compost holds people more accountable, making them more likely to compost.

Composting has been a longtime goal for MSA, with a recent focus on continuing to make it accessible in dorms. Sai Powar, MSA’s sustainability committee chair, said MSA is not directly involved with specifics of the expansion right now, but they hope to start educating students about what can and cannot be composted soon.

The Como Recycling Facility has a current goal of expanding composting to eight buildings every month until the approximately 100 academic buildings have accessible composting, Sawyer said. The recycling center is also coordinating with custodial services, building tenants and the Office of Sustainability to best implement the program.

Tanner and Sawyer emphasized how unique this sustainability goal is in comparison to other

establishments across the nation.

“As far as we know, we are the only institution anywhere near our size that’s attempting to do this campus-wide,” Tanner said.

The recycling center makes informational signs and has information online to instruct students about proper composting and recycling.

Tanner emphasized how important it is to educate students about composting at universities.

“Universities, they really do establish behaviors in the students ... that can last the rest of their lives,” Tanner said.

Student groups are also speaking up about the importance of composting.

Environmental Student Association President Jessica James said the group aims to educate peers and hold discussions about sustainability. James said their focus is shifting to further understanding composting and promoting zero-waste events as well.

She also emphasized her personal efforts to compost and what changes she has seen during her time at the University.

“Within the dorms and many apartment complexes, it’s really difficult to [compost]. ... I think MSA really pushing for it in a lot of the facilities around campus is great,” James said. “It’s something I’ve seen change since I first started coming to the [University].”

5

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

RECREATION

Bikes u from Page 1

CULTURE TO CONSUME

BY BECCA MOST

Watch this: “Chef’s Table” “Chef’s Table” is one of those shows you can never get tired of watching (but be warned — don’t watch on an empty stomach). From delicate desserts that look like they belong in an art gallery to simple, traditional dinners that make you think of home, “Chef’s Table” takes you on a journey into the kitchens of some of the best chefs on Earth.

Listen to this: “High School High” by elxina Rosemount natives Elaina McRath and Andrew Selchow blend jazz and soul in their most recent album “High School High.” McRath’s smooth and rich vocals transport the listener to a place of nostalgia and warmth. Although still upand-coming in the Minneapolis music scene, elxina has the potential to make a lasting impact, one carefully-crafted song at a time.

Try this:

Garcia’s first time riding a fat tire was last year on trails near the North Shore.

The University’s Center for Outdoor Adventure rents these hogs out, and Garcia highly recommends taking one for a spin.

The meaty tires on these bikes allow for fun not only in the snow. In the summer, dirt, rocky and root-laden trails offer another route to take with these monsters. The scent of pine blazing through your nostrils as the crisp northern air bellows past you on the rocky cliffs inspires the pedal.

It’s a freeing experience.

“They’re a great way to get through stuff you normally wouldn’t be able to so quickly,” said Garcia.

“They’re just super fun, on campus or up north” Cruising back to campus, there are many routes and paths to ride on. Fat tires may add a little extra traction to the ride, but that makes the workout more rewarding.

“Fat tires are absolutely fantastic; they cut through whatever you want and they’re fun as hell,” said University computer science senior Jim Mooney.

“Pulling up to campus with one of these leaves you sweating, but that’s why I love it.”

A regular bike commuter, Mooney uses his fatty

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Above: Bennett Figueroa pops a wheelie on his bike as he rides down the Dinkytown Greenway on Friday, Feb.1 Right: The fender of Figueroa’s bike reads, “toot fast for Satan.”

to knock out two birds with one stone: commuting and exercise. Cardiovascular and lung health benefit immensely from regular rides.

Mooney agrees that fat tires are great any time of year. His personal favorite is the winter, he said.

“While everyone else is on the packed bus, you can just fly past them however

Swing dancing at the Wabasha Street Caves

fast you want. It’s great,” Mooney said.

While it has the potential to become the next bouldering — a subculture whose valve is infiltrated by hipsters and kombuchabrewers — fatty biking is still an outdoors arena untapped by most.

Get out there, try something new and ride on.

CULTURE

What’s better than a night spent swing dancing in a cave — especially one that’s been home to mobsters and speakeasies?

Every Thursday night from 7-10 p.m., the Wabasha Street Caves host a “swing night,” with live music from a rotating big-band and free dance lessons for those who want to learn. When you go, be sure to bring $8 cash and know the speakeasy password: “Gus sent me.”

CULTURE COMPASS

BY BECCA MOST

Friday: Minnesota Long-Form Improv’s February Improv Show Check out the University of Minnesota’s only long-form improv club this Friday as the group performs their February show at the old Bell Museum.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the team encourages viewers to bring a date (or a couple friends) to join them for a night of laughter and potential romance.

Where: 10 SE. Church St., Minneapolis Hours: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Cost: $3, or $5 for two

Saturday: Mill City Museum Indoor Winter Market Although there’s snow on the ground, the Mill City Farmers Market is still going strong.

Whether you’re looking to buy some artisanal cheese or fresh bread, try on some homemade jewelry or just walk around and listen to live music, this is by far the best way to spend your Saturday morning.

Where: Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis Hours: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Cost: Free

Sunday: Music Under Glass at the Como Conservatory The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory’s free “Music Under Glass” concerts encourage Minnesotans to stay warm on Sunday nights by hosting local musicians inside their beautiful, glass greenhouse. This week’s group is Matt Arthur & the Bratlanders, a soulful folk band known for their unique blend of blues, western and indie tunes.

Where: Como Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Dr., St. Paul Hours: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Cost: Free

ABBY ADAMSKI, DAILY

Looking for: a missed ‘Queernection’ “Twin Cities Missed Queernections” is a platform to support LGBTQ romances.

BY KSENIA GORINSHTEYN kgorinshteyn@mndaily.com

With mentions of stolen glances, innocent smiles and offers of free coffee, these classifieds represent more than just missed connections.

The Facebook group “Twin Cities Missed Queernections,” inspired by Craigslist’s missed connections page, is a space filled with words of affirmation and acknowledgement.

Created in September 2016, the group has since amassed over 2,000 members. While the posts are typically written in the style of a classified ad, the members of the group are allowed to comment and like each other’s posts.

“[The Craigslist Missed Connections page] was definitely a source of entertainment for me for some time a while back and then I just kind of gave up on it,” said Shane Thorson, a member of the Facebook group. “But then with this [it’s like], ‘Hey you’re cute, this is what I’m into, are you into this? Hit me up.’ It’s just a really cool little corner of affirmation.”

The postings vary in purpose — some group members are looking for a stranger that caught their eye, some offer quick shout-outs after an event for the community, others give updates.

“Missed Queernections” has built a unique space for the Twin Cities online queer community to feel recognized and appreciated, which is something that other spaces for classified ads simply don’t do.

“For us as queer people to be seeing each other out and about, [we can say], ‘Hey you

might feel invisible or alone, or you might encounter discrimination or prejudice, but here are other queer folks out here that are seeing each other and holding each other up,’” Thorson said.

The hyper-local aspect, as well as the ability to match faces to names via people’s profiles, makes the community feel closer, too.

“It’s nice having that space where you’re like, ‘I can go into this group and know exactly what I’m going to find,’” said Jo Herrera, who joined the group shortly after moving to the Twin Cities three years ago.

“People are … really complimentary of each other. … It’s nice knowing that a lot of the people you’re interacting with are all in the physical community around you, too.”

Local businesses, coffee shops and concerts are mentioned in the group in hopes of finding the specific

person a poster exchanged nods with.

“You disappeared in the wisp of the crowd and I lost you,” reads one post by Michael Lee, looking for a stranger with the same name from the Noname concert at First Avenue. “I’m not sure if you’re into what I’m bringing, but I swear I could sway in those eyes forever.”

While many of the members could go to the Craigslist page or use similar Facebook groups, they choose “Missed Queernections” for the atmosphere.

“It’s still impossible for me to waltz up to someone who strikes an eye and assume that person identifies as queer in some way,” Lee said. “I think this group is a place for all scopes of queer to freely express that sense of that swooning, dizzying attraction.”

Herrera’s recent post in

the group detailed an encounter they had at Urban Bean Coffee. A simple nod prompted them to turn to “Missed Queernections” for help in the search.

“I definitely sat on it for a day or two,” Herrera said.

“I have not found said other person, but it is kind of like a fun little thrill. … Maybe someone will recognize it someday.”

Naturally, the group is not solely about finding the person you exchanged glances with at the grocery store. Each post helps build a stronger LGBTQ community on the local level.

“I don’t really get outside of my house as much as I would like to … so it’s nice to have this space that’s very low stakes and very affirming to just go and interact with … other queer people out doing the stuff and meeting each other and being nice to each other,” Thorson said.

6

Sports

MNDAILY.COM

MN DAILY

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Sophomore Isaiah Washington shoots from the top of the key at Williams Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 30. The Gophers beat the Illinois Fighting Illini 86-75.

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

Washington improving in sophomore year Isaiah Washington has made strides in his second season with the Gophers.

BY NICK JUNGHEIM njungheim@mndaily.com

Isaiah Washington likes to play fast.

His abilities came in handy during a Jan. 30 game against Illinois, a team known for stopping their opponents’ set-offenses. In his second season, the game is starting to slow down for Washington and he’s found a way to make a significant impact on the court.

“This was definitely a good match-up for me,” Washington said following the 86-75 Gophers victory. “It

was basically just one-on-one basketball. I’m a good player at that.”

Against the Fighting Illini, Washington set season highs in both field goal attempts and field goals made, going 5-11 from the field.

He finished the game with 12 points and four assists.

Afterward, Washington said he thought it was one of his best performances at Minnesota.

“I played a lot more poised,” Washington said. “I let the game come to me. I played 23 minutes today, so I had to take advantage of what was in front of me.”

When head coach Richard Pitino is asked about Washington, playing time is often the topic of discussion; at times he has struggled to

get off the bench. He never appeared in Minnesota’s 5952 victory against Wisconsin on Jan. 3. Against Arkansas State, he didn’t play in the second half after shooting 0-4 in six first-half minutes.

Consistency is Washington’s primary challenge.

Three days after his poor performance against Arkansas State, he recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 13 assists in a 80-71 victory against North Florida. Pitino is adamant that, when at his best, Washington brings an added dimension to the Gophers’ offense.

“He creates his own shot,” Pitino said. “I don’t know if anyone else on our team can do that as well as he can. When he comes off the bench, he can provide value offensively.”

Still, Washington’s field goal average for players with at least 20 games played sits at a team-low of .315 this year.

He has scored less than five points in more than 15 minutes of playing time in eight games this season.

Washington faced similar struggles after coming to Minnesota as a freshman with lofty expectations. In high school, he was named New York’s “Mr. Basketball” — a title that has been held by several NBA players — and was a four-star, top-100 recruit.

Even before college, Washington was famous for his signature “jelly” layup. Clips of him playing his flashy style of street ball in New York City got millions of views on social media. He currently has more than 630,000

Instagram followers, dwarfing the team’s 20,000. As one of Minnesota’s highest-profile commits in recent memory, fans have had high hopes for Washington.

“Because of his social media status, he gets that burden of higher expectations than they probably need to be,” Pitino said. “He’s a good player and he’s going to get better if he continues to learn and grow.”

While Washington has provided glimpses of his growth on the court, he maintains he’s improved significantly since last year in ways that don’t always show up in the box score.

“I’ve slowed down,” Washington said. “Last year, I always wanted to play fast.

This year, I think I’m reading

the defense a lot better.”

One area where he’s made statistically significant strides is assists. Washington has recorded a team-leading 75 assists through 21 games this season, the same number he had in 32 games last year.

With Washington on the court, the Gophers can spread the floor and play with a higher tempo. According to his teammates, he possesses all the skills of a great point guard. It’s just a matter of putting everything together.

“Isaiah is a great ball handler,” said junior Amir Coffey.

“He’s a good player all around.

Just when he gets out of his head, he can do so much more.

When he plays with that pace and that confidence that we know he can, he’s a totally different player.”

MEN’S GYMNASTICS

WRESTLING

Three new captains to lead by example for men’s gymnastics

Russell has taken charge as a leader in year one

The Gophers have new captains after losing two seniors from last season.

BY DAVID MULLEN dmullen@mndaily.com

BY PAUL HODOWANIC phodowanic@mndaily.com

Following a second place finish at the NCAA Championships last season, the Minnesota roster went through a massive overhaul.

Ten seniors departed the team, including team captains Joel Gagnon and Alex Wittenberg, making way for a youth movement as nine freshman were added to this season’s team.

To fill the void that Gagnon and Wittenberg left, the gymnasts and coaches named seniors Shaun Herzog, Vitali Kan and junior Timmy Kutyla as captains.

“It didn’t surprise me t h a t [K a n a n d K u t l y a ] are in there but Shaun [Herzog] is the brightest surprise of them all,” said head coach Mike Burns.

“To see him evolve over the course of the last three years to become who he’s become now, it’s just one of my favorite stories to tell.”

All three gymnasts treasure their new roles as they work to keep up with the success and culture of last season’s team.

“I think for the most part we’ve tried to keep the same energy towards

Since transferring, Russell is exceeding expectations for the wrestling team.

JACK RODGERS, DAILY

Senior Shaun Herzog competes in the floor exercise at the Maturi Pavilion on Saturday, Jan. 26.

practice and competitions,” Herzog said. “I don’t think we really wanted to change much because last year’s team was incredible; the culture and everything was through the roof. We wanted to keep that rolling and see what we could do with that, and I think so far it’s gone pretty well.”

The No. 4 Gophers go into Saturday’s meet against No. 14 Arizona State and are looking to build off a strong first place finish last week against Iowa and UIC. In their new role, the captains said they hope that their performance on

the mats will provide the guidance the young players need to succeed.

“Our last few years, it has been pressure to show off what you are able to do, show off what you’re capable of, and now we are put in the spot because we were able to do that, all three of us,” Kan said.

“Now it’s our responsibility to show the freshman where they’re supposed to be, how they’re supposed to do it.”

“I feel as if we lead by example,” Herzog said.

“These freshmen look up to us and see how we compete, see how we deal with

pressure and nerves in the competition.”

So far this season, the trio has provided the spark the team needs. Kan ranks as the No. 7 vaulter in the country and Herzog ranks No. 21 all around and No. 18 on the parallel bars. Kutyla is No. 20 on parallel bars and No. 24 in the high bar.

“If you’re gonna talk the talk, you better be able to walk the walk,” Burns said.

“I think because of what their capabilities are in the sport, they’ve been leaders by example of what the expectations are. It’s all about achieving excellence ... in our sport.”

It is not often that one of the newest additions to a collegiate athletics team is someone who has four years of prior experience.

Sean Russell (19-3), the No. 6 wrestler in the 125-weight class is just that.

Although it’s his first year in with the Gophers, some say it’s hard to tell.

“The one thing that I think is unique about [Russell] is that this is his senior year, his first year at the University of Minnesota, and you’d honestly think the guy’s been here for five years,” head coach Brandon Eggum said.

However, Russell said the differences between Edinboro University, a small public university in Pennsylvania, and Minnesota are huge, especially the resources.

“It’s hard to fail here — they don’t let you fail. And they help you out a lot and have a lot of cool stuff,” Russell said. He added that differences in nutrition programs, training programs and training facilities, among other things, contribute to the team’s success.

Even though Russell said the University set him up for success, other key contributors are the wrestlers he practices with every day.

“I have the best room in the country for 125-pounders,

maybe even the world,” Russell said. He added that he knew prior to committing to Minnesota about the 125-pounders on the team, but his expectations have been surpassed.

Russell, out of Collins Hill High School near Atlanta, chose Edinboro over Minnesota originally. But when he found out their head coach, the man who recruited him, was leaving Edinboro for a job at West Virginia, he decided to transfer.

“There’d be a new coaching staff coming into Edinboro, and because of that [Russell] decided he wanted to go where he thought he had the best opportunity,” Eggum said.

On top of believing that Minnesota gave him the best chance, he also knew about the unavoidable winters. “It’s crazy, it’s been terrible these last few days. ... I knew coming to Minneapolis that it would be like this sometimes,” Russell said on Jan. 31, a day after one of the coldest days in Minneapolis in over two decades.

While Russell’s final year of eligibility is nearing the end, he says there’s only one thing on his mind.

“There’s no reason why I can’t be a national champ this year. ... I’ve taken some losses to the top guys, but [not by] more than two or three points,” Russell said. “We’ve been working on areas I need to work on, and I’m fully confident that I can win a title this year.”

The Gophers will be back in action Friday in Lincoln, Nebraska when they match up against the Cornhuskers.

7

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Prospect Park residents suing developer Residents near the Witch’s Hat Water Tower are upset over loss of view.

BY IMANI CRUZEN icruzen@mndaily.com

A lawsuit is underway claiming that a development is encroaching on the view of the Witch’s Hat Water Tower, and some neighborhood residents want to know who is involved in the litigation.

Friends of Tower Hill Park, a Prospect Park group, filed a lawsuit in December against Vermilion Development’s Art and Architecture building redevelopment. Following nearly a year of discussion and multiple changes made by Vermilion, the group claims the structure will block the view of the historic Witch’s Hat Tower.

A motion at a Jan. 28 Prospect Park Association meeting sought to require all board members to disclose their relationship to the lawsuit, but was delayed for later discussion due to opposition.

The lawsuit cites the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act, stating that the “Witch’s Tower is a natural resource entitled to protection” under a Minnesota state statute. “[MERA] exists to protect legitimate environmental concerns, and [to] twist and turn it to accuse us of violat-

ing environmental law by building a building that can be seen from the top of a historic building is absolutely insane,” said Vermilion Minnesota development director Ari Parritz.

Friends of Tower Hill Park requested that the City evaluate whether the Vermilion development would block the view of the Witch’s Hat Tower, but Ward 2 Council Member Cam Gordon says the City doesn’t have the authority to do so.

Though the Witch’s Hat Tower is a designated landmark, there is no existing ordinance that would regulate development height based on its impact on landmarks or historic districts.

“That’s all we’re really asking, ... that the City recognize that they have not just a local historic property, that they have national historic property and they have to become good stewards,” said Joe Ring, a Friends of Tower Hill Park member and PPA board member. “And they’re not doing that.”

Though it’s too late for the Vermilion development, Gordon said he is working to see what can be done about future developments and the impact their height would have on other landmarks.

Board members opposed to the disclosure motion expressed confusion with its purpose, and some argued that PPA was not involved

DAILY FILE PHOTO

Visitors celebrate at the top of Witch’s Hat Tower on Saturday, June 1, 2018. Built in 1913, Witch’s Hat Tower has been a major landmark in Minneapolis for generations. New developments have been proposed near Prospect Park, and the Prospect Park Association is concerned that the height of developments will block the view from the tower.

with the lawsuit.

“It’s not associated with PPA and it’s not like PPA has a decision about this lawsuit before us, so it’s just unusual,” said Lynn Von Korff, PPA treasurer. “I think this is important to discuss, but

I’m confused about what’s prompting it.”

Though Von Korff said she had been open about her involvement with getting the development height lowered, as attempted by a petition made in June, she

said she did not like having a motion that would force her to disclose that involvement.

Others were open to disclosing their involvement or having PPA openly support the lawsuit.

Several board members

eventually voted against disclosure, including board president Eric Amel, and the motion was delayed to be discussed at a later date.

A court date on the lawsuit is set for the end of February.

Rural retailers get help from UMN faculty Workshops for small business are helping them to navigate a changing landscape.

BY HELEN SABROWSKY hsabrowsky@mndaily.com

In an increasingly c o m p e t i t i v e e n v i ro n ment, University of Minnesota faculty are helping build resiliency in rural small businesses.

Working with community partners, faculty from the University’s College of Design and the University Extension will host a series of workshops throughout Kandiyohi County starting this week. The Retail Business Workshops series will cover a range of topics designed to strengthen small businesses,

offering coaching sessions and technical assistance. “[Small businesses] may be destined to fail in this game, but the thing is that their failure impacts the whole community,” said HyeYoung Kim, an associate professor in the College of Design and the retail merchandising program director.

Small-town stores attempting to navigate a retail environment dominated by e-commerce and national retailers face a dire situation, directly impacting the well-being of communities.

“It is hard to establish a vibrant community without thriving small retailers where people can gather, communicate [and] experience something together,”

Kim said.

Small retailers often don’t have the resources or time to locate and obtain expert advice regarding topics like store layout and social media marketing, all of which help them compete against large retailers, said Aaron Backman, executive director of the Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission.

The workshops will cover a range of topics, including target marketing, management structures awnd social media use. The workshops are intended to make experts and personalized advice more accessible to local business owners, Backman said. So far, 15 retailers have expressed interest in the program.

Kim originally explored how retail merchandising can be used to help make small businesses more competitive last year through the Joint Retail Assistance Program. She said the program helped one retailer reimagine its existing pop-up store, strengthening its business model.

Expanding on the original project, the workshop series aims to serve a broader range of retailers, Kim said. At the end of the 10-week program, the team plans to document best practices and case studies that will enable other communities and organizations to replicate its work.

The series will also build upon work already underway by the EDC and Willmar’s Main

Street program, the local branch of a national initiative to revitalize downtown areas, said Sarah Swedburg, a Willmar city planner and director of the Willmar Main Street program.

“The historic preservation of downtowns, and downtowns in general, are really the lifeblood and heart of all of our communities,” she said.

In addition to serving as cultural and social hubs, small businesses often reflect a community’s identity, Kim said.

The team wants to bring this message to policy makers to stress the need for caution before accepting national retailers that can deplete the energy of small retailers, she said. “[Local retailers] deliver the unique story of

“[Small businesses] may be destined to fail in this game, but the thing is that their failure impacts the whole community.”

HYE-YOUNG KIM Associate professor at the College of Design

their town to visitors,” Kim said. “They are not just commercial entities selling products and services; they are more than that.”

New plan outlines future of transit on campus make our neighborhoods safer,” Fletcher said. “This is a chance for people to really stand up for places in our neighborhood that they would like to see be safer.”

Prospect Park residents are currently pushing for improved crosswalks and bike connections near campus, said Evan Roberts, chair of the Prospect Park Association’s transportation committee. Roberts said the neighborhood could also benefit from the addition of a bus rapid transit service.

“That’s a pretty big priority for the neighborhood because that would dramatically improve bus service between Prospect Park through Marcy-Holmes and Dinkytown, and then into downtown and Uptown,” Roberts said.

A draft of the plan is anticipated to be released later this year, Mayell said.

The Transportation Action Plan will impact streets and transit near campus.

BY EMMA DILL edill@mndaily.com

A new City of Minneapolis plan will lay out the future of transportation around campus and throughout Minneapolis.

The Transportation Action Plan has the potential to impact sidewalks, bike paths and public transit near the University for the next decade. Minneapolis Public Works formally kicked off community engagement on the proposal Saturday at the Minneapolis Community Connections Conference.

The new efforts aim to improve transportation around the city and incorporate goals outlined in the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan. The Transportation Action Plan will replace Access Minneapolis, the current 10-year plan.

Although the plan is still in its early stages, Ward 2 City Council member Cam Gordon said it will allow students and residents near the University of Minnesota to discuss a range of transportation issues.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for folks around the University area to think about how we can make it safer and more convenient for bikers, walkers and transit users, as well as for automobiles,” Gordon said.

The plan will differ from

A group of eight police officers patrol on bikes through Dinkytown on Friday, April 20, 2018.

its predecessors by incorporating cars, bikes, public transit, pedestrian and other transportation infrastructure into a single, comprehensive draft. Past models created separate categories for each mode.

“We know that trucks and bikes and cars and everything need to coexist.

We need rules to make that work. We have to look at them together because there

are some places in the City that seem like [they] were not designed for people,” said Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletcher.

New transportation technology, like the debut of dockless electric scooters last fall, influenced these considerations, said Kathleen Mayell, a transportation planning manager in the City’s Public Works department.

“Transportation’s changing quickly with technology,” Mayell said. “There’s a recognition that these things are really integrated … taking this approach makes a lot of sense right now.”

In Marcy-Holmes, residents regularly voice concerns about street safety along 4th Street Southeast and University Avenue Southeast. Areas with construction and high-truck

DAILY FILE PHOTO

traffic have also raised concerns, Fletcher said.

Under current City policy, Fletcher said some dangerous neighborhood intersections have gone unaddressed. He hopes the plan will be more responsive to these issues.

“The Transportation Action Plan is sort of a process for gathering that feedback and for thinking about what policies will

“This is a chance for people to really stand up for places in our neighborhood that they would like to see be safer.”

STEVE FLETCHER Ward 3 city council member

8 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

Editorials & Opinions

COLUMN

The delusion of financial aid at the University President Kaler says financial aid is a powerful message, but then the U is not saying the right thing.

A

t its monthly meeting on Thursday, the Board of Regents will hear the presentation for and discuss a report entitled, “Holistic View of Student Financial JONATHAN ABABIY Burden.” I stumcolumnist bled on it while skimming the board’s docket. I’m very glad I did — even if going through its pages of facts and figures lowers my heart rate into near-slumber — because it feels like it could be the Museum of University Cluelessness’ main exhibit in its overflowing “Financial Aid Collection.”

The reason it feels that way is that the report and its “Holistic View of the Student Financial Burden” is an excellent example of how much the University believes its oxymoronic and selfserving definition of financial aid.

Generally, the University feels like one of those panopticon airplane control centers. Somebody’s watching you, dictating your every step and subjecting your life to random changes without your knowledge — but you can’t do anything about it. Your calls will get lost in a labyrinth of redirects and voicemails and your emails will be thrown off into the abyss. You never see a soul up in the control tower, just dark windows encased by concrete.

The “Holistic View of Student Financial Aid Burden,” like many of the board’s dockets, is like stepping into that control tower. Nobody hears you, and even if they did, they wouldn’t listen. But you have the ability to get a good look around. Here, you can see the way that the University, as an institution, thinks and looks down on you.

Being up in the control tower doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll like the view, though. I

can say I don’t.

The report reminded me of the experience I had going from my first University financial aid award letter last year to the “Shopping Sheet” this year. I received my first award letter around the time that I got into the University. It was a couple pages of boring legalese and tables, stating various potential relationships with Pell, Perkins, and Stafford. As a first-generation college student, it genuinely mystified me.

After receiving the Shopping Sheet the following year, it immediately convinced me that it was financial aid’s greatest innovation, besides more aid. Made popular by Education Secretary Arne Duncan in 2012, it clearly explained in soft rectangles how much school cost, how much free money I got and the net cost I would have to pay, whether through loans or work study.

What was innovative about the Shopping Sheet, besides its simplicity and clarity, was that it finally regarded “financial aid” as the oxymoron that it is. There is some aid, or free money, involved in financial aid, but much of it is attaching yourself to loans that will take a lifetime to pay off. It is refreshing to read my Shopping

Sheet after reading the report because it exists in a reality where real people have to pay for things with their own real money.

The report and many of the people in the control tower — or those in the administration — take the oxymoron of financial aid seriously, and it isn’t clear whether their view of student financial burden is getting anymore holistic. In a Minnesota Daily interview last school year, University President Eric Kaler said that there was enough financial aid to make tuition free for families making under $30,000. For those families, he told the Daily, “I think that’s a powerful message.” This illustrates the administration’s tendency to pat itself on the back when it comes to financial aid offerings, while that offering is still insufficient.

As someone whose Shopping Sheet took Kaler up on that offer, the $9,000 in room and board that I still had to pay was, in his words, “a powerful message.”

Jonathan Ababiy welcomes comments at jababiy@mndaily.com.

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL

Safeguards needed on deer farms New policy places protection on to reduce the spreading of disease reporters of sexual assault in MN Minnesota needs to implement restrictions on private deer farms to curb the rising disease rates.

Chronic wasting disease has taken a toll on the state’s deer and efforts to reduce it face major obstacles.

That’s why proposals in the Legislature to crack down on private deer farms, which are breeding grounds for CWD, should be supported.

The disease is fatal in deer and so far there are no cures for it. While there have been no known cases of humans becoming sick from eating venison from a diseased deer, there are obvious concerns of potential animal-to-human transmission.

CWD is especially nasty because it can live for so long in nature. If scavengers eat a deer that dies of CWD their feces — which could be spread miles away — will contain the disease and it will be absorbed into grass and plants the next year and for years beyond. When deer eat those infected plants, they can get the disease.

The disease also spreads quickly when deer are in close contact with an infected deer. That’s why whole herds in a deer farm can quickly get CWD. And wild deer often venture to the fences of deer farms and can come into contact with an infected deer. Any infected deer that escape from a deer farm can also spread it into the wild herd.

Rep. Jamie Becker-Finn introduced a bill recently to require 10-foot-high double fencing around commercial deer and elk farms to prevent infected animals from spreading the disease to wild deer. The bill will certainly face

opposition from those in the private deer farm industry.

A January story in Outdoor Life detailed how lax enforcement among many deer farms in Minnesota has been. One deer farm in southeast Minnesota had inadequate fencing that allowed deer to escape, yet the farm passed inspections by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, which is responsible for regulating the farms. The entire deer farm herd contracted CWD and had to be killed, according to Outdoor Life.

Meanwhile the Department of Natural Resources has tried hard to contain CWD by setting up mandatory testing stations in different areas of the state where deer hunters have to bring deer in so a sample can be taken.

The DNR has also been aggressive by allowing intensive hunts in areas where the disease has been found.

CWD not only jeopardizes the huge deer hunting industry in the state, but taxpayers must fund the high costs of trying to monitor and slow the disease in the state’s deer herd.

So far Minnesota has confirmed CWD in more than 30 wild deer, but undoubtedly the numbers are higher.

Still, the state is in a much better position than Wisconsin, where thousands of cases have been reported.

Putting more restrictions on those who want to raise deer privately is a necessary step in helping Minnesota keep a lid on the brainwasting disease. The slow reaction in Wisconsin shows what can easily happen if the effort is not taken seriously.

This editorial was originally published in the Mankato Free Press.

The bill allows reporters of sexual assault to go to police without fear of citation for alcohol or drug use.

On Monday, the Minnesota Daily reported the Minneapolis Police Department recently implemented a policy that prevents officers from citing sexual assault reporters for underage drinking, drug use and other minor offenses in an effort to aid sexual assault victims and survivors.

While Minneapolis already practiced this policy before it went into effect, the Daily’s Editorial Board praises the city for formalizing the policy. We believe it is an important step in decreasing the stigma surrounding intoxication and sexual assault.

More importantly though, the Minnesota Student Association is currently attempting to push a medical amnesty bill through the state Legislature which would allow the policy to be enacted statewide. We believe this initiative is a leap in the right direction as we move beyond a long history of criminalizing and blaming victims of sexual assault.

The Star Tribune has published a series on the hardships involved in pursuing justice in sexual assault cases. This series, “Denied Justice,” focuses on cases where Minnesota’s justice system has failed victims of sexual assault. Published on August 12, “How Alcohol Foils Rape Investigations” judges the previous Minnesota law that offered little protection for sexual assault reporters.

The article features an analysis of more than 1,000 sexual assault cases occurring between 2015 and 2016. The analysis showed

that police were less likely to assign detectives to these cases, interview witnesses or forward them to a prosecutor. We believe this allows for the proliferation of victim-blaming culture and for assaulters to repeatedly get away with brutal crimes.

However, the University of Minnesota has a different story.

In a survey released in November, the University saw a substantial increase in reported sexual assault cases between 2015 and 2018, according to Daily reporting. This increase in reporting may be due to a policy that the University of Minnesota Police Department implemented last year. As of January 2018, UMPD does not cite sexual assault reporters for underage drinking or drug charges. Whether the increase in reports is due to the new policy or due to underreporting in prior years is unknown.

Furthermore, the city’s new policy is modeled after the medical amnesty bill in which minors are immune from underage drinking citations under certain circumstances. Medical amnesty was implemented statewide in 2013 and encourages students to call 911 for medical emergencies relating to alcohol consumption, no matter your age. These are common sense policies that allow for a safer community overall.

The City of Minneapolis is taking a step in the right direction by implementing this reporting policy. We applaud MSA for pushing the medical amnesty bill to the state legislature and urge state lawmakers to enact this policy statewide. The focus of the medical amnesty bill should reflect the need to support victims and survivors, not punish those who have the courage to speak up.

COLUMN

Student groups at University should focus on inclusivity How student groups at the U can create exclusion and how they should be held accountable.

T

he University of Minnesota has hundreds of student groups, from the Admissions Ambassadors to the Students for Gluten ALEEZEH HASAN Free Awarecolumnist ness, so there are countless colorful ways for students to add extracurricular activities to their schedules.

Student groups can be inclusive and valuable spaces within the University. However, there are also problems that can be associated with them. Student-run clubs create independence for their leaders, but they do not always keep leaders in check.

Nepotism, favoritism and corruption are all common issues that arise because of student leadership being handed to the wrong people.

Some complaints have centered around the legacy statuses of students in certain groups.

I have witnessed many students sharing feelings of discouragement from joining organizations because they didn’t join their freshman year, and feel they aren’t given a fair chance to be part of the group in the following years.

It is vital for student groups to exist as inclusive and beneficial environments for all those attending the University. The benefits of these groups will only matter if they are truly comfortable for all who wish to join them.

In order to bring an end to these issues, students, especially leaders, need to be held accountable for their actions. One way this could happen is through a deeper check done by the Student Unions and Activities.

SUA ought to have meetings with student

groups on a regular basis. For larger groups, the meetings should be more frequent and might be based on number of people, amounts of monetary funds used or frequency of events. In these meetings, an SUA officer should discuss the student group constitutions and ensure that they are written in a justified way. One practice that should be introduced in all student groups is signing off on not displaying favoritism among members.

Some groups may even consider introducing a quota, such as one where identities of leaders need to vary. In some groups, this could lead to the promotion of minorities taking on leadership roles that may have been difficult for them to obtain in the past.

SUA officers should check that group leaders are held accountable. They should sit in on meetings or group events if any members of the group are concerned about unfair treatment.

Another practice that should be adopted by all student groups is the proper introduction of students’ rights. Student groups should make a document available of what their resources are and who they can reach out to if they feel discriminated against.

The student conduct code, which must be adhered to by all student groups, should be shared in the initial meetings of organizations. Students are allowed to file complaints against student groups if they feel the group is violating any of the code’s policies. The process for resolving these complaints is currently lengthy and lacks transparency.

The student conduct code has good intentions in trying to hold all students accountable for their actions within these groups, but they could be putting in more effort to ensure these claims are resolved fairly.

Overall, in order for student groups to become increasingly inclusive, it is necessary for rules to be followed. Accountability is vital for these groups to run in the best, most fair, way possible.

Aleezeh Hasan welcomes comments at ahasan@mndaily.com.

Robert McGrady welcomes comments at rmcgrady@mndaily.com.

SHARE YOUR VIEWS The Minnesota Daily welcomes letters and guest columns from readers. All letters must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. The Daily reserves the right to edit all letters for style, space, libel and grammar. Letters to the editor should be no more than 500 words in length. Guest columns should be approximately 350 words. The Daily reserves the right to print any submission as a letter or guest column. Submission does not guarantee publication.

letters@mndaily.com Fax: (612) 435-5865 Phone: (612) 435-1578 Letters and columns to the editor 2221 University Ave. SE Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55414

EDITORIALS & OPINIONS DEPARTMENT Editorials represent the voice of the Minnesota Daily as an institution and are prepared by the editorial board.

THE EDIT ORIALS AND OPINIONS DEPAR TMENT IS INDEPENDENT OF THE NEW SROOM

9

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2019

MN DAILY

MNDAILY.COM

HOROSCOPES Today’s Birthday (2/7): Communication profits this year. Share your affection and kindness steadily. Study to unveil a mystery.

Summer glory for your crew comes before physical obstacles alert you to stop and smell the roses. Follow your heart this winter. Express your creativity and passion.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Written by Nancy Black

Aries (3/21 - 4/19): Today is a 6 — It’s a good time to learn a new game. Make profitable plans.

Consider long-term savings and compound interest. Align talk into action with coordination.

Libra (9/23 - 10/22): Today is a 9 — Dive into physical action with gusto. Practice your routines to grow stronger. Slow down to go over the new stuff until you’re comfortable with the tempo.

Taurus (4/20 - 5/20): Today is a 7 — Friends help you make an important connection. Community participation amplifies your energy. Coordinate who will do what and get into action.

Scorpio (10/23 - 11/21): Today is an 8 — You’re especially lucky in love. Talk is cheap; back up your promises with clear action. Impress someone you care about by providing excellence.

Gemini (5/21 - 6/21): Today is an 8 — A professional vision seems within reach. It’s time to back up talk with action. Team coordination prepares a well-oiled push. Friends and family

Sagittarius (11/22 - 12/21): Today is a 7 — Energize a domestic project. Long-term improvements are easier than you thought. Get family on board for a positive change.

Cancer (6/22 - 7/22): Today is a 9 — Embark on a trip or exploration. Check reservations and go. Travel with someone whose company you enjoy. Expand your horizons. Seize the day.

Capricorn (12/22 - 1/19): Today is an 8 — You’re especially clever with words and communication. Prepare your message, and set it up to reach a wide audience. Write, edit and publish.

Leo (7/23 - 8/22): Today is an 8 — Study growth strategies for your shared money. How can you generate rising value? Discuss it with your partner.

Determine your best options and take action.

Aquarius (1/20 - 2/18): Today is a 9 — Full speed ahead with a profitable venture. Your past work speaks well for you. Use the right equipment for the job. Prioritize long-lasting quality.

Virgo (8/23 - 9/22): Today is an 8 — Keep an open mind and heart. A collaborative opportunity is worth pursuing. Keep long-term goals in mind. Strengthen your partnership with active participation.

Pisces (2/19 - 3/20): Today is a 9 — Good news comes from far away. A brilliant discovery or headline changes your options. Take bold steps to realize a personal dream. Push ahead.

DR. DATE Dr. Date,

I met my current boyfriend on Tinder.

His picture was of him with a Corvette and his bio was, “Ask me how I got this car.” I messaged him and he said he earned it through his company. He asked if I wanted to get coffee and talk about it.

Our date went really well. He talked a lot about how he started his own business with some help through another company. I was super impressed! I started complaining about how little I get paid at my on-campus job and his eyes lit up. He immediately asked if I wanted to be my own boss and started going on about how “you get paid to be on your phone.” I was hesitant, so I told him maybe.

Anyway, we’ve been going out for a while and I’m getting concerned. He keeps talking about his “upline,” aka boss, pushing him to find more workers. And last night during sex, he moaned “Vector!” I don’t know what’s going on. What can I do to make him focus on me instead of work?

—Not an Entrepreneur

Dear Not an Entrepreneur,

I think you’re worried because you haven’t tried the blend of the essential oils I sell. Wanna become a fellow boss babe and work from home, no experience necessary?

I’ll just tell it to you straight: I think your “boyfriend” is trying to recruit you for a multi-level marketing scheme. Save yourself a lot of time and money and tell him you’re not interested (in the job, at least). If he persists, maybe he does like you. But, if he stops scheduling coffeeshop dates and only messages once a week about unique business opportunities, I’m sorry to say you weren’t meant to be on each other’s super successful team.

— Dr. Date

Dr. Date,

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and, yet again, I’m not in a committed relationship.

But, I’m talking to at least four guys on Tinder, which is the same thing. Each guy seems nice enough, and all of them are super hot.

Guys usually go silent around V-Day, but not this time. Three have asked me on a date that night! This is only half humblebragging — I’m torn on what to do. I don’t want to shoot any of them down. (Like I said, super hot.)

They all suggested different things at different times, so I could theoretically go out with each of them. I don’t want Valentine’s Day to go to waste. God knows I’ve spent too many of them drinking alone.

What should I do?

—Ready to Mingle

Dear Ready to Mingle,

Congrats? But, even though you have men lined up, I guarantee any schedule you create to try and see all of them will backfire. What if one of them wants to “show you their bedroom?” Speeding through sex to meet another guy doesn’t sound like the best idea.

Instead, choose one guy or cut them all loose for the night. You can always reschedule for another day. It’s not fair to the other person if you’re only rushing to get to the next date. If that doesn’t change your mind, think of the multiple Ubers you’ll have to take — surge pricing, anyone?

— Dr. Date

Want advice from the love doctor?

Email Dr. Date at drdate@mndaily.com

SUDOKU CROSSWORD

Last Issue’s Puzzle Solved Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk.

Last issue’s solution

2/7/19

© 2019 Michael Mepham. Distributed

by Tribune Media Services.

All rights reserved.

10

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Text alert system aids maternal and childcare in West Bank neighborhood The alert system aims to make health care more accessible for Somali families.

BY FARRAH MINA fmina@mndaily.com

A team of University of Minnesota researchers are piloting a new text messaging system that aims to promote child and maternal wellness in the Cedar-Riverside community.

The program, Reminders for Readiness (R4R), sends text messages to parents reminding them to take their children to check-ups and get them immunized. The reminders are short audio packages — in English and Somali — that integrate Somali culture and tradition into their content. The text messaging system aims to erase barriers to health care that many Somalis experience.

“There is an issue of lack of trust around the professionals who [do] not understand the culture, who [do] not understand the language,” said Amano Dube, director of the CedarRiverside’s Brian Coyle Center. This lack of trust makes it difficult for immigrant communities to disclose sensitive health issues, Dube added.

Somali is not traditionally a written language, so the researchers opted for audio messages, said R4R project director Amy Susman-Stillman. In order to create culturally sensitive material, the team of researchers consulted several members of Minneapolis’ Somali community, she said.

“We looked at different Somali folktales and some readings that were from the Quran about childrearing so that we had a good idea of how childrearing and thinking about children is approached,”

TONY SAUNDERS, DAILY

University junior Faisa Ahmed demonstrates how a new health text messaging system, which aims to close the racial gap in healthcare, works on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at the People’s Center Clinic in Minneapolis.

Susman-Stillman said. “We felt that was important because so much of childrearing advice or information can be laden with different cultural perspectives, and so we wanted to make sure that we were not necessarily imposing some other perspective that might not be something that would work for the Somali parents.”

The system also sends audio text messages containing advice about basic educational tips to promote healthy child development. For example, the system sends messages to

remind parents to read to their children.

The team partnered with People’s Center Clinics and Services, a nonprofit health center specializing in serving diverse communities, in order to provide accurate information that clinic experts would usually provide in person.

Deb Olson has served as a pediatric nurse practitioner at People’s Center for approximately 12 years.

According to Olson, who regularly works with interpreters, language is the primary barrier between

healthcare and immigrant communities.

Olson said the differences between healthcare systems in the U.S. and those of other countries are another barrier.

“If you didn’t grow up in a healthcare system in the United States,” Olson said, “which, you know, emphasizes preventive care as well as acute care, it’s difficult sometimes for people to understand why you treat high blood pressure ... even though you’re not experiencing symptoms on that particular day.”

Because of this, Olson

has found that education is a huge part of her job. She is optimistic about R4R’s potential as an educational tool that can help mothers make decisions about their children’s health and their readiness for learning.

Dube said he believes that the Somali community will be receptive to R4R’s approach.

“Messages are always helpful when [they are] carved in a way that follows the mode of communication the community has and respects how they communicate with each other,” Dube said.

“We looked at different Somali folktales and ... the Quran about childrearing so that we had a good idea of how child-rearing and thinking about children is approached.”

AMY SUSMAN-STILLMAN R4R project director